‘THE DONALD’ FOR PRESIDENT

I was so disappointed in May when ‘The Donald’ announced he would not be seeking the Republican nomination for President for the 2012 US election. For those of you who have been off the grid for a while, I am talking about Donald Trump not Donald Duck. Although when you think of it they are remarkably similar. They are both attention seeking loud mouth cartoon characters full of bluster and pomp. Donald Trump is a better dresser but only because Donald Duck wears the same thing every day. Although I have never understood why, Mickey Mouse gets to wear pants and Donald Duck has to go commando. And it is also strange that Pluto and Goofy are both dogs and yet one is a pet and the other a ‘person’ animal. Totally unfair. But I digress.

No, the reason that am upset about Donald Trump dropping out of the race is I think he would have provided hours of entertainment value to the race. He is just so easy to pick on and make fun of. I don’t know what the late night comedians are going to do without him. The comb-over itself is all you really need. Did you know there are only 2 objects on planet earth clearly visible from outer space… The Great Wall of China and Donald Trump’s hair. (rim shot)

The current enormous list of GOP candidates is completely boring; Michele Bachmann, U.S. Representative from Minnesota. Herman Cain, former Federal Reserve banker and businessman from Georgia. Newt Gingrich, former U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives from Georgia. Jon Huntsman, Jr., former U.S. Ambassador to China and former Governor governor of Utah. Gary Johnson, former Governor of New Mexico. Fred Karger, political consultant and gay rights activist from California. Andy Martin, perennial candidate from Illinois. Thaddeus McCotter, U.S. Representative from Michigan. Jimmy McMillan, perennial candidate from New York. Roy Moore, former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court of Alabama. Ron Paul, U.S. Representative from Texas. Tim Pawlenty, former Governor of Minnesota. Buddy Roemer, former Governor of Louisiana. Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts. Rick Santorum, former Senator from Pennsylvania. Jonathon Sharkey, perennial candidate from Florida.

Apparently every Republican with a pulse wants to be President. (There once was a Republican Senator that was elected after he died. He doesn’t want to be President. But, he also has no pulse.) Sarah Palin doesn’t even have her name in yet, although there will be no doubt she will. She has been campaigning for the job since 2008. She is Dolly Parton’s pick. “I can relate to Sarah Palin. I always say we’re very much alike. Both small town girls. Both are Pentecostalists and we both carry an AK-47.”

Make no mistake about it, I think The Donald would make a terrible President. He is emblematic of everything that is wrong with that nation. He is self-centered, egotistical, greedy, uncompassionate… the list goes on and on. During one interview he was tossed a soft ball question. “What would you say to the guy that has lost his job and his home and is wondering what his future holds?” Unbelievably, The Donald said, ” Look, there will always be those who will belly ache about the state of the economy, but there are great opportunities out there. I just paid $10 million for a building that was appraised at $22 million just a few months ago. We live in the greatest country is the world and I want to make sure it stays that way and that’s why I think I would make a great President.” Hard to imagine that the guy without the job and house missed that buying opportunity. The Donald has said that the first thing he would do is slap a 25% duty on every item imported from those ‘lying and cheating Chinese’ who are using unfair business practices. What he doesn’t tell the American people is that it would essentially increase the price of every single good in Walmart by at LEAST 25%.

Well yesterday The Donald hinted that he might jump back in the race. “It was not an easy decision for me [to drop out], but I think that it will be an easy decision [to return] if the Republicans choose the wrong candidate and if the economy is bad. I think it will be a really easy decision for me to make.” His decision to then run as an independent would be made during next fall’s season of The Celebrity Apprentice. He said it would be really good for the ratings of show. Well, isn’t that great, there will be something in it for Donald.

In Matthew 20 the disciples got into a discussion about who would be the greatest in Jesus Kingdom. Jesus never rebuked them for their ambition but instead redefined ‘greatness’.

But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave…

What our world needs now more than ever is servant leaders. Men or women who are not in it for what they can get out of it but rather for the contribution that they can make for others. Oh, they mostly all say it (except The Donald who makes no attempt) but they don’t act like it. There have been few over the years. I was reading a story the other day written by a man who had an encounter with Abraham Lincoln when he was 8 years old. His father had taken him to Washington DC. They were standing by a roadside fruit stand when Honest Abe came striding down the street. A young street boy was eyeing the fruit when Lincioln as he passed stopped plunged his hand in his pocket and bought an orange. He then gave it to the street urchin and carried on his way. The 8 year old’s father told the boy that the President had just bought him an orange and that he should run after him to thank him. Which he did. After receiving his thanks Lincoln hunkered down to the boys level and said, “You are welcome my boy. You were going to steal that orange, but you didn’t because it would have been wrong. Our world needs more honest men like you.” And then he turned and walked away.

What our world really needs is more honest men like Abraham Lincoln. There are few in the political arena today that would measure up to Jesus description of greatness but I pray that we will see some of them is our day. As for The Donald… he ain’t one of them.